Fighting the Gallant fight.
The world seems like a very bleak prospect right now, and I feel like every time I hear or read anything of actual news, it just seems bleaker than ever.
I'm pretty sure I've written about this before, but I can't find where, and screw it, you'll just have to hear the story again. I used to work in an office that hosted a crew of regular weekly volunteers, women in their seventies who had been volunteering for the organization for decades. There wasn't really much for them to do any more, because many of the chores they used to do had been contracted out or made obsolete, but their weekly visit was a tradition that was absolutely not going to end until they were physically unable to come any more. One of these volunteers was a smart, impressive woman who was UNBELIEVABLY negative. Endlessly, relentlessly negative. I don't think I ever heard her say a sentence that was happier than neutral. One of these volunteers was a smart, impressive, woman who was just terrific. She was warm, perceptive, funny, and generous, and managed her substantial health challenges with what seemed like genuine good humor. I started thinking of them as Goofus and Gallant from Highlights.* (Gallant was so kind that she was even nice to Goofus.) When I told them I was pregnant, Goofus delivered a small speech on how much work and pain children cause, and how much suffering I had ahead of me.** Gallant said "Oh, that's wonderful! Children bring so much love!"
I don't want to be Goofus. I really, really don't. I want to be Gallant when I'm an old lady. But I'm afraid that I'm on a Goofus track, and when I feel like sending Dutch to DC to stab John Mica in the eye with a fork, I am certain that I will end up there.
Fortunately, the kids are a temporary anti-Goofus treatment. I don't mean that in a children-bringing-love kind of way, of course, because I'm not a generous soul like Gallant, but in the sense that they do inadvertently hilarious things on a daily basis. Dutch has actually asked me to stop laughing when she says or does unintentionally funny things, because it embarrasses her. I try to respect that, but I did point out that it's generally a good thing to learn to laugh at yourself when you do unintentionally funny things.
Today, I agreed to buy Skipper a treat out of the bulk bins at the grocery store. She chose some chocolate hearts wrapped in colorful shiny foil, because she's basically a magpie in the shape of a human child. When we left the store, I gave her a heart. She took it and immediately put the whole, foil-wrapped shebang right in her mouth. I managed to stop her from eating it, in spite of being almost immobilized with helpless laughter.*** The look on her face when I showed her how to unwrap it made me laugh all over again - the realization that oh my GOD there's CHOCOLATE in there! This was the best thing about my day.
*I've spoken with people who said they had sympathy for Goofus in their Highlights days. I did not - I hated that little shit. Rules are IPORTANT!!!!!!
** I'm exaggerating here, but really only a little. She was a really sad person.
*** I know this doesn't sound all that funny. But dear lord, it was totally hilarious. You should have been there.
I'm pretty sure I've written about this before, but I can't find where, and screw it, you'll just have to hear the story again. I used to work in an office that hosted a crew of regular weekly volunteers, women in their seventies who had been volunteering for the organization for decades. There wasn't really much for them to do any more, because many of the chores they used to do had been contracted out or made obsolete, but their weekly visit was a tradition that was absolutely not going to end until they were physically unable to come any more. One of these volunteers was a smart, impressive woman who was UNBELIEVABLY negative. Endlessly, relentlessly negative. I don't think I ever heard her say a sentence that was happier than neutral. One of these volunteers was a smart, impressive, woman who was just terrific. She was warm, perceptive, funny, and generous, and managed her substantial health challenges with what seemed like genuine good humor. I started thinking of them as Goofus and Gallant from Highlights.* (Gallant was so kind that she was even nice to Goofus.) When I told them I was pregnant, Goofus delivered a small speech on how much work and pain children cause, and how much suffering I had ahead of me.** Gallant said "Oh, that's wonderful! Children bring so much love!"
I don't want to be Goofus. I really, really don't. I want to be Gallant when I'm an old lady. But I'm afraid that I'm on a Goofus track, and when I feel like sending Dutch to DC to stab John Mica in the eye with a fork, I am certain that I will end up there.
Fortunately, the kids are a temporary anti-Goofus treatment. I don't mean that in a children-bringing-love kind of way, of course, because I'm not a generous soul like Gallant, but in the sense that they do inadvertently hilarious things on a daily basis. Dutch has actually asked me to stop laughing when she says or does unintentionally funny things, because it embarrasses her. I try to respect that, but I did point out that it's generally a good thing to learn to laugh at yourself when you do unintentionally funny things.
Today, I agreed to buy Skipper a treat out of the bulk bins at the grocery store. She chose some chocolate hearts wrapped in colorful shiny foil, because she's basically a magpie in the shape of a human child. When we left the store, I gave her a heart. She took it and immediately put the whole, foil-wrapped shebang right in her mouth. I managed to stop her from eating it, in spite of being almost immobilized with helpless laughter.*** The look on her face when I showed her how to unwrap it made me laugh all over again - the realization that oh my GOD there's CHOCOLATE in there! This was the best thing about my day.
*I've spoken with people who said they had sympathy for Goofus in their Highlights days. I did not - I hated that little shit. Rules are IPORTANT!!!!!!
** I'm exaggerating here, but really only a little. She was a really sad person.
*** I know this doesn't sound all that funny. But dear lord, it was totally hilarious. You should have been there.
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